Indeed, Fang Senyan chose Yorkshire as his teleportation destination over the Forbidden Forest because he was someone who could maximize his advantages. Fang Senyan’s current success was largely attributable to the talent of Resilience, a trait utterly useless against various forms of witchcraft.

Therefore, even though the pelts of the white/brown Centaurs were the most expensive, they represented a powerful class of both mage and warrior, often befriending formidable wizards. Setting aside other factors, their mastery of divination and astrology alone made them incredibly troublesome; if they deployed something like a Great Prophecy or a Starfall during combat, Fang Senyan would be completely helpless. Thus, self-interest was undoubtedly placed last by Fang Senyan, who directly targeted the black/grey Centaurs. In most situations, Fang Senyan prioritized safety and stability above all else.

Upon arriving in Yorkshire, led by a House-elf, Fang Senyan rallied his spirits and tracked down the areas marked for Centaur activity. He easily hunted and killed a few small animals, then started a fire to roast and eat them, satisfying his hunger. He also hoped this might lure the Centaurs out, but that hope proved fruitless.

Fortunately, Fang Senyan possessed excellent patience. After some thought, he instructed the House-elf to lead the way, following the terrain downhill toward a hollow. Centaurs, being animals, would inevitably need water; by tracking along the depressions in the mountainside, it was easy to find a water source. Indeed, beside a small lake in the hollow, Fang Senyan found clear hoofprints—but they were clustered together, clearly indicating a large herd had passed through. Fang Senyan estimated that while he might have a fighting chance one-on-one with a black/grey Centaur, he was doomed against two or more—and more terrifyingly, the Centaurs’ speed was several times his own, making escape impossible!

However, having decided to hunt the Centaurs, Fang Senyan had prepared beforehand. Since Centaurs were gregarious and possessed human habits, the solution was simple: use the same tactics employed against humans. Under what circumstances does a person leave the collective to venture out alone? Naturally, based on daily habits and interests—specifically, interests they are unwilling to share. Connecting this to the information he possessed, Fang Senyan unequivocally focused on "Purple Clover" and "Roasted Meat" as his points of entry.

Clover is a widely existing fodder crop highly favored by horses, cattle, pigs, geese, and other poultry. Most wild purple clover on the nearby mountains had likely already been consumed by the Centaurs, but finding some elsewhere was not difficult; for instance, behind the home where Fang Senyan borrowed the fireplace, there was a large field of purple clover. Without much effort, Fang Senyan acquired a large bundle of clover via the House-elf, sprayed it with pesticide, and scattered it around the water source. Next, he and the House-elf deliberately set up a campsite scaled for two to three people, built a campfire, extinguished it with water, and added a few clumsy traps before leaving the area and finding a safe place to sleep soundly again.

When performing these actions, Fang Senyan was acting naturally. He knew he was unprofessional; to Centaurs who had lived in the jungle long-term, his efforts were mere child's play and bound to be seen through. But that was precisely the effect he intended.

After all, how would these mountain-dominating Centaurs react upon discovering a hunter intruding and using such clumsy methods to try and set a trap? Even if they weren't instantly enraged, they would certainly be extremely annoyed and determined to teach these fools a lesson. Furthermore, Fang Senyan had walked back and forth across this mountain at least two or three times previously, and the traces he left formed precisely those irritating clues for the Centaurs.

According to animal habits, they usually only drink water in the early morning and evening. Since Centaurs also move in herds, they would likely adhere to this principle. Therefore, they were most likely to discover Fang Senyan's poisoned fodder when they came to drink in the morning, become enraged, and start searching everywhere.

Based on Fang Senyan's predictions and gathered intelligence, this furious search would last about three hours. Afterwards, many Centaurs would lose patience and return to their nests to rest, drink, and eat. However, a few more patient Centaurs would continue searching and galloping for about half an hour before returning to the nest. This was akin to poking a hornet's nest; even if you returned half a day later, there would still be a few straggler hornets hovering outside.

Fang Senyan’s target—it would fall upon these few, more patient Centaurs!

The morning air was crisp, and some beetles buzzed between the leaves; even the birds seemed lethargic and unwilling to sing. Fang Senyan had stuck twigs all over himself, resulting in a reasonably convincing disguise. After his good rest, he was full of vigor as he crept toward the Centaurs' activity zone. He moved with extreme caution, always staying under the cover of trees and never failing to observe his surroundings.

Shortly after entering the mountains, Fang Senyan spotted the clear hoofprints on the damp ground, confirming his plan's success and filling him with quiet joy. The terrain here was not steep but characterized by rolling hills and valleys a hundred meters high, with dense vegetation composed mainly of beech, Rhododendron, acacia, and oak trees; there were even more types of shrubs and flowers, such as Hydrangea, Inula, Plane Tree, Snowdrop, and Butterbur.

Because news of black/grey Centaurs frequently appearing and harming humans was common, human activity in the area was sparse, resulting in limited visibility while traversing. If Fang Senyan had not possessed the constitution of a Contractor, the journey would have been quite arduous. His progress would not have been nearly as swift or convenient without the assistance of the House-elf.

However, the wretch Infinitus had warned him beforehand: this House-elf named "Raj" was originally meant to serve him and was merely loaned to Fang Senyan for three hours at most; every subsequent hour would cost an additional one pound sterling in usage fees! But in this unfamiliar environment, leaving this House-elf behind felt almost like being unable to move freely!

As he was pondering this, Fang Senyan suddenly felt a cold sensation on his left shoulder, as if an icy mass was pressed against him! This sensation was utterly familiar to Fang Senyan—it was his Perception giving him an advance warning! He immediately tensed his shoulder and pushed off the ground, leaping sideways, but his eyes already caught sight of a black shadow shooting out from between the jungle foliage like a bloodthirsty snake. The leaves and flowers it brushed against shattered and flew away, while the tip of the shadow let out a shrill, piercing cry, aimed directly at his body!

Black Centaur

Spear Throw!

Although Fang Senyan's Agility was not high, his advanced foundational skill, Grappling Combat, had reached LV2, coupled with Perception providing at least a 0.5-second early warning! Thus, Fang Senyan managed to evade this attack. He rolled on the spot and scrambled back up, his clothes covered in dirt and leaf debris, looking exceptionally disheveled.

But Fang Senyan didn't even have time to catch his breath before the leaves in the jungle violently scattered, turning to powder, as another incredibly uncanny wooden spear shot toward him. Fang Senyan could even smell a indescribable (fishy/bloody stench) on the spear tip! He now discerned that the wooden spear flew incredibly steadily and accurately; the distorted, sliding appearance was caused by the spear’s temperature being raised to an extremely high degree during the throw, causing the air around it to twist and refract! This could no longer be described as mere skill; it belonged in the realm of Black Magic.

Facing the second, ferocious spear thrust, Fang Senyan had no time to dodge. But he had prepared during the first attack. As he leaped out, he slapped the top of his boot. He had affixed five short steel spikes there, sharply angled and interlocked, designed to enhance the lethal power of kicks. If ambushed suddenly, striking the boot with his palm would inflict five minimal points of damage, thereby maximizing the passive effect of the accessory: Black Obsidian Fossil Anchor, ensuring Fang Senyan could face the enemy in his strongest state!

The wooden spear whistled past, aiming directly for his chest, but Fang Senyan’s hands now held a heavy, dark single-handed axe, blocking in front of him! If the first spear had caught him before he could block, he would have been unable to defend against the second—if he hadn't been ready to defend by the time the second spear arrived, he would have long since died in the space!

The wooden spear slammed against the black axe surface, actually spraying several sparks, and a dark, thick venom spurted out, splashing onto Fang Senyan’s exposed skin. It not only carried an indescribable foul stench but also burned with a scorching heat. The wooden spear also carried immense power; even Fang Senyan's Strength of 13 was insufficient to deflect it entirely. The spear drove forward, hitting Fang Senyan squarely in the chest over the axe.

Fang Senyan, who had been half-kneeling, took the heavy blow directly, causing his vision to blacken momentarily. Blood immediately streamed from the web between his thumb and forefinger, and his chest ached so violently as if all air had been squeezed out. Clearly, the enemy's strength surpassed his own. Fortunately, no third spear followed, or he would have suffered a devastating injury.

Then, amidst the thicket ahead, there was a rustling of undergrowth and bushes, and a giant black Centaur leaped out diagonally. The Centaur’s lower body was that of a strong, robust horse, but where the horse's head should be, the stout torso of a man grew. Long black mane sprouted from its back, extending down its spine like flames rippling fiercely in the morning breeze. Its body was adorned with numerous ornaments carved from wood and vine, strung together. Most striking were the three deathly white human skulls hanging from its waist.